Ace designer Anita Dongre teamed up with Bollywood actress Dia Mirza to pay tribute to the glorious craftsmanship of India with the launch of her outstanding "Grassroot" collection at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week.
Dia's touching introduction of the theme kick-started the show. Anita's dream to revive the precious crafts of the country like Ahir embroidery from Gujarat, ikat from Karnataka and Hyderabad, Gotta Patti from Rajasthan, weaves of Banaras, intricate Warli and hand block prints turned into a reality with her collection.
Her brand's philosophy of "Revive, Sustain, Empower" was amply evident as the intricate garments appeared on the ramp and was hailed by Dia.
"I am a great fan of Banarasi weaves. And I always was anxious about the fact that the hand-woven industry is getting weaker and dying.
"But when designers like Anita Dongre are paying so much importance to this initiative and trying to empower hand weaves then I feel very happy. I am personally very proud of Anita's initiative to help them. I am happy that designers are taking make in India so seriously," Dia told PTI.
The fabrics in the collection were gorgeous silks from Bhagalpur with smooth textures. The varying styles moved from western to fusion in easy silhouettes with lavish crafts as the focal point of each entry.
Anita added the beauty of block printing, Warli and embroidery to highlight the apparel.
